Chess champion Garry Kasparov and actress Maureen Lipman join the festival 2016 programme

Almost 200 events now available to book

Garry KasparovOne of the greatest chess players of all time and leading pro-democracy Russian campaigner Garry Kasparov is to speak at this year's FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival. Kasparov, pictured right, will talk about his new book on Vladimir Putin and why he believes the Russian president is a threat to democracy and world peace. maureen LipmanMeanwhile, much-loved actress and writer Maureen Lipman, pictured left, is joined by poet Jeremy Robson and jazz singer Jacqui Dankworth for Blues in the Park, a mixture of music inspired by the jazz greats, poetry and humour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Oxford Literary Festival. Almost 200 events have now been published on the festival website. Recent additions to the programme include novelist, playwright and humourist Michael Frayn; renowned Spanish football writer and broadcaster Guillem Balague on his biography of Ronaldo; the former Labour spin doctor and BBC political journalist Lance Price; and historian Peter Frankopan. Leading names previously announced include scientist Richard Dawkins, former children's laureate Jacqueline Wilson, playwright Alan Ayckbourn, television explorer Levison Wood, philosopher A C Grayling, historian and broadcaster Simon Sebag Montefiore, and comedians David Baddiel and Julian Clary. There will be around 250 events at this year's festival, which takes place between Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 10, and the remaining ones will be added to the festival website as they are confirmed. Events can be booked online now via this website. A walk-in and telephone box office will open at Blackwell's Bookshop, Oxford, on February 10.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London elBullifoundation Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Other donors Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Founded 1884 Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine